Tuesday, 3 May 2011

OPENING DAY A ROARING SUCCESS!

Frome's 'Infamous' Pop Up Gallery opened its doors to the public on Sunday May 1 during the buzzing Artisan Market in the Catherine Hill quarter.

There were lots of red balloons everywhere so it couldn't be missed, with mainly children, making drawings on postcards which were then attached by strings to one of the red balloons and released in groups en masse into the Frome skies for an unknown journey, until landing and hopefully being found and brought back to the POP gallery. A prize is planned for the postcard that travels the furthest and makes it back to POP gallery. So watch this space! The St. Catherine's Artisan market was in full swing at the same time so this gave the POP launch an especially extra celebratory feel.

David Chandler who produces "Seeing Things" on Frome FM came along and interviewed one or two of the six participating artists and visitors and will be broadcasting a snippet of the event very soon. Overall it was received as a great idea to see an empty shop space filled with art and made use of in a positive way, rather than stand with windows painted out, until new tenants are found.

Pop up space.

Mark Karasick's 'Michael' DVD Projection.

Inside POP, the looped video by Mark Karasick made an eye catching piece in the show and added movement and another dynamic, offering the possibility of engaging browsers minds in other ways, and enhancing the experience of making a reading on the paintings and drawings. Rowena Mayell's two paintings in the sofa corner, sat on the walls, in some way, as if an installation, in relationship with the furniture and objects that belonged and lived in the space. Jim Whitty's large painting with birds, fish and conga eel in myriad underwater drew the attention of mesmerised gazes and appreciation. Tristan Stevens' narrative works, autobiographical commentary, captured and intrigued minds. Chris Bucklow's miniature exploratory drawings posed a multiple of ideas as works in themselves but also as the starting basis for large scale paintings. Samantha West's abstract painting suspended in the window caught the attention of passers by and helped to state the arrival of POP for May in Frome.

Artwork done for the great balloon race

Frontage

Visitors can come by and catch POP gallery on Monday's, Thursday's, Friday's and Saturday's during May from 11am to 4pm. The artist's will take turns in being the space and talking to people.